Dispensing applicators



Feb. 28, 1961 C. D. PAULI, JR

DISPENSING APPLICATORS Filed March 20, 1958 INVENTOR.

CHARLES D. PAULI FIG.3

ATTORNEY Unitfid Patented Feb. 28, 1961 6 Claims. (Cl. -565) This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in dispensing applicators and, more particularly, to a dispensing applicator adapted for use in covering or expunging price markings or other ap plied indicia from the surfaces of packages, cans, and the like.

In supermarkets, grocery stores, and various similar commercial establishments, it is the regular practice to apply a price marking directly to each package of mer chandise by means of a rubber stamp which is coated with a suitable stamp-pad ink. Such inks are usually non-aqueous in character and are compounded with dense pigments or dyes which are relatively diflicultto remove from cans, boxes, and the like, thereby creating a rather serious and time-consuming problem when it is necessary to change prices on the merchandise. For example, when a supermarket places a special price or sale price upon some merchandise, it is necessary to change the price markingon all such merchandise which is then in stock. At the present time, the supermarket and grocery store proprietors or their clerks pour a quantity of the solvent I 2 In the accompanying drawing-- Fig. l is a perspective view of a dispensing applicator constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the dispensing container;

Fig; 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the dispensing container; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the dispensing applicator illustrating the manner of use thereof.

, Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a dispensing applicator comprising a bottle-like container 1 formed of flexible polyethylene plastic and preferably having an elongated cylindrical shape substantially as shown in Fig. 1, the size being such as to fit more or less conveniently in the hand. Formed integrally with, and projecting axially upwardly from, the center of the top wall 2 is a short neck 3 ,having an external screw thread 4 for receiving a screw. cap 5 also formed of polyethylene plastic and provided with a relatively large central aperture 6, the diametral size of which is somewhat smaller than the inside diametral size of the neck 3, thereby formlog, in efiect, an annular flange 7 when the cap 5 is in assembled relation.

Fitted snugly into the upper end of the cap 5, and projecting downwardly therefrom into the neck 3', is a cylindrical plug 8 madeof soft, but nevertheless firm, rubber and having an annular groove 9 formed in its outer face for snug-fitting engagement with the annular flange 7 of the capVS, substantially as shown in Fig. 3.

into an open dish or pan and, by dipping a rag or sponge therein, wipe off all of the undesired price markings preparatory to stamping new price markings on the merchandise. This procedure is not only time-consuming, but is also somewhat hazardous for the reason that the solvents employed are usually inflammable and can be ignited by a lighted cigarette carried by a customer or being smoked by a careless employee. In addition, the use of-rags or sponges is not particularly conducive to a clean, neat result and the merchandise from which the price marking has been thus removed is frequently smeared and somewhat unsightly in appearance} Finally, some types-of marking inks, which are used at thepresent time, cannot be readily removed by any available nontoxic solvents.

. It is, therefore, the primary objectof the present; invention to provide a dispensing applicator and material for use therein which is particularly adapted for expungement of price markings in a simple, safe, and eflicient manner.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dispensing applicator which is capable of covering various imprinted price markings in a precisely controlled and regulated manner.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a dispensing applicator of the type stated which will remove price markings, ink spots, and the like without smearing them or leaving the cleaned surface in an unsightly condition.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dense, opaque, and free-flowing liquid which can be readily applied to price markings and will dry quickly in a firm adherent film.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

At its upper end, the plug 8 is provided with a concentricicup-shaped recess 10 and a small-bore axial duct 11 extendsfrom the bottom wall thereof through the body of the plug 8 for communication with the interior of the container' 1. The diametral size of the duct 11 is preferably small enough so that a quantity of liquid will be held therein by capillary action whenever the applicator A.is' inverted and returned'to upright position.

Press fitted and f snugly held within the recess 10 is a porous sponge rubberdisk 12 slightly shorter in height than the 'depth of the recess 10, so that a shallow, but nevertheless perceptible, cup-like space s is provided between the outwardly presented face of the disk 12 and the rim-face r of the plug 8. Thus, when the cap 5 with the plug 8.and the disk 12 are disposed in assembled relation, the cap 5 willfit snugly down and engage the threads 4 of theneck 3, holding the plug 8 and disk 12 securely and firmly. in place in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

. Provided for use in the applicator A is a covering fluid preferably, though not necessarily, consisting of the following:

In the above formula, any good foaming agent can be substituted for the sodium lauryl sulfate.

In use, the cap 5 is manually removed from the neck 3 and the container 1 filled with a quantity of the fluid described above. The cap 5 with its associated elements is then placed within the neck 3 and screwed down in place. As long as the dispensing applicator A is allowed to rest in upright position, the disk 12 will remain substantially dry. In order to expunge the price markings, the dispensing applicator A is up-ended and grasped very much in the manner of a large pencil or writing instrument. In this position, the liquid within the applicator A will flow down through the duct 11 and saturate the sponge rubber disk 12. Thereupon, the applicator A is momentarily returned to upright position and squeezed to force a small quantity offlair from the interior of the container 1 up through the duct 11 and disk 12, filling the space s with a mass of foam 1; The applicator is then upended again and the foam 1 daubed uponthe price mark in of the can c, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby forming an opaque dot which covers the mark m and quickly dries to an adherent film. As a matter of actual practice, the clerk will dot several dozen cans. By the time this has been done, the first cans dotted will be firmly dry and a new price mark can be applied thereto in the conventional manner.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the dispensing applicators may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A dispensing applicator comprising a squeeze-bottle having a tubular neck, a cap mounted on said neck, a plug mounted in and projecting through thecap and having a flat annular outer face and an internal cylindrical side wall which extends partially through the plug from the outer face whereby to define an outwardly opening cup-like recess in its outwardly presented end, said plug also having a duct extending therethrough establishing communication between the interior of the bottle and the recess, and a porous element mounted in said recess having a substantially flat face parallel to and spaced inwardly from the fiat annular face across the top of the side wall.

2. A dispensing applicator comprising a squeeze-bottle having a tubular neck, a cap mounted on said neck, a plug mounted in and projecting through the cap and having a fiat annular outer face and an internal cylindrical side wall which extends partially through the plug from the outer face whereby to define an outwardly opening cup-like recess in its outwardly presented end, said plug also having a duct extending 'therethrough establishing communication between the interior of the bottle and the recess, and a porous element mounted in said recess having a substantially fiat face parallel to and spaced inwardly from the flat annular face across the top of the side wall, said duct being of capillary size.

3. A dispensing applicator comprising a squeeze bottle having a tubular neck, a cap mounted on said neck, a plug mounted in said cap and also lying in part within said tubular neck, said plug projecting outwardly through said cap and having a flat annular outer face and an internal cylindrical side wall which extends partially through the plug from the outer face whereby to define an outwardly opening cup-like recess at its outwardly presented end, said plug also having a duct of capillary sizeextending therethrough establishing communication between the interior of the bottle and the recess, and a porous element mounted in said recess and being slightly shorter in height than said recess so that the outwardly presented face of the porous element lies inwardly of the outer face of the plug in spaced parallel relation to the flat annular face across the top of the side wall.

4. A dispensing applicator comprising a squeeze bottle having a tubular neck, a cap mounted on said neck, a plug mounted in said cap and having a flat annular outer face and an internal cylindrical side wall which extends partially through the plug from the outer face whereby to define an outwardly opening recess in its outwardly presented end, said plug also having a duct of capillary size extending therethrough establishing communication between the interior of the bottle and said recess, and a porous element mounted in said recess and being slightly shorter in height than said recess so that the outwardly presented face of the porous element lies inwardly of the outer face of theplug in spaced parallel relation to the flat annular face across the top' of the side wall.

5. A dispensing applicator comprising a squeeze-bottle having a tubular neck, a cap mounted on said tubular neck and being provided with a covering surface sized for enclosing the tubular neck, said covering surface being provided with an aperture, a cylindrical plug being of larger diametral size than said aperture and provided with an annular groove, said plug being seated in said cap with the annular groove in alignment with the covering surface whereby the plug extends radially outwardly from the margin defined by the aperture on both sides of the covering surface in liquid tight relation with respect thereto, said plug also including an internal annular wall in the end outside of the squeeze bottle, said annular wall defining a cup-like recess in said plug, said plug also being provided with a duct for establishing communication between the cup-like recess and the contents of the squeeze bottle, and a porous element mounted in said a recess.

6. The application of claim 5 wherein the duct and internal annular wall are both cylindrical and concentric with the plug. 3

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Feb. 20, 1924 ee- A 

